Last night on television, “Slap Shot” was on Retro TV at the same time “Youngblood” was on the NHL Network. It made for a frenzied evening of flipping back and forth, exacerbated even more when “Tommy Boy” started on Starz.
“Youngblood” was heavily censored, presumably by Kevin Weekes, so the “tea with Miz McGill” scene lost considerable spice.
“Slap Shot” is, by far, the superior movie. Watching both simultaneously suggests that any number of “Slap Shot” characters would have beat snot rockets out of Racki, the antagonist in “Youngblood.” That includes all three Hansons, Ogie Oglethorpe, Andre “Poodle” Lussier and even that lard-ass Barclay Donaldson.
So, as the Penguins attempt to turn their season around against visiting Dallas, it’s important to remember one of the most meaningful quotes from “Slap Shot”: “What do you mean, a serious game? What are you talking about? This is hockey.”
Or perhaps it can all be narrowed down to, “Too much, too soon.”
BTW, when Racki gives Patrick Swayze brain damage in “Youngblood,” shouldn’t one of the Ex-Presidents have come to his defense? Heck, Johnny Utah was on Swayze’s team.